Salmon

[Tony Ong]

Got a call from Terry who's down at Dunsborough for a couple of days. The salmon have arrived and they are finding reasonable schools of fish. They're cooperating by taking flies eagerly. Big fish as well, as they the smallest that they landed was 5kg.

[Stephen Winsor]

Sounds great... what kind of flies would you throw at them? 1/0 & 2/0 Clousers?

[Rudolph]

Mandurah field day could turn into a Salmon day???

[Sean]

I'd vote for a salmon day

[Stephen Winsor]

Same!

[Tony Ong]

Salmon generally aren't real fussy. Clousers, decievers, candies, are proven fish getters. When they're fired up, it's always fun using surface flies.
You can fish the beaches at Mandurah this field day. Worth a look if the Salmon are around.

[Rohan]

Salmon Reported recently ( big ones , in schools ) at Preston and White Hills beaches just south of Mandurah, so the usual spot at Tims Thicket will probably hold some. Then last Thursday at Dawsville cut, there were schools of larger size fish , but also Salmon Trout hanging around. Then yesterday morning a couple of large schools were seen heading north 150 yards off Cottosloe Beach. So they're definitely around. If the weather is from the east with clear skies and a not too large swell on the field day weekend, then a cruise along Preston Beach towards Myalup would be a very enjoyable thing to do, looking for Salmon schools along the way. I think I would take a rigged lure rod though , just in case they stay out wide, which they are sometimes prone to. However driving along and keeping an eye on a school would be the go as they will often venture in an out as they travel, and dolphins are always likely to herd them right in close at some point.

[Jon Hammond]

That report has me drooling Rohan!

What's the beach like along that stretch (I've never driven it myself). If I find myself landbased would you mind another 4wd tagging along or would you like to jump in as a passenger in mine?

[Rohan]

Hmmm, probably a bit late on this reply, but driving south from preston is just a little soft at first but gets better as you go, very comfortable beach to drive on, so long as the tyres are let down enough ( 15lbs usually plenty). Driving north is more varied with the beach very narrow these days, global warming the expected culprit. have not been there for a few years but probably still drivable.

[foley]

Got my first salmon! Geograph bay flats near the four pine trees. It had everything I coukd have hoped for. The first time one of the school turned to the fly about 25m away on a knee deep flat I held my breath. I picked them as salmon as one was wearing a red and white pencil popper when i first saw them (it came off a after my third refused cast so got added to the up north tackle box). It took several more cast but finally after several screaming runs, a few jumps and a three attempts with the net I got him in the boat for a snap and a happy release. Bloody awesome fun one the 8wt with a size 6 bright orange headed clouser. Only bummer was i had well and truly scared the other 4 off by the time i got him back in the water.